Rudyard Kipling’s wonderful poem “If” supplies a guide for how to live an honorable, successful life. Written in 1895, the principles that Kipling present still apply to today’s world. His intuitive solutions to life’s problems have no time, gender, or age.

The poem is written in four stanzas with only two sentences. The first sentence ends at the end of the third stanza and the second sentence ends at the end of the poem. Each stanza has eight lines. The poem is written in first and second person. His use of “you” makes the poem seem as though it is addressed directly to the reader.

1st stanza

The word “if” begins every stanza and establishes a condition that the poet assumes that the person will face in life. The first stanza focuses on self-confidence. Trust in one’s own abilities. A person may be blamed and doubted; it does not matter if the person knows the truth. Keep an even keel in whatever happens. Be patient. Do not listen to lies or work with those who do not tell the truth. Hate must never be a part of a man’s life. In addition, never try to show off or be arrogant in talking to others.

2nd stanza

A man should dream, but he can live on just his dreams. He must act. Thoughts and thinking are important as well; but there is more to life.

If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterAnd treat those two impostors just the same:

Winning is easy. Losing is hard. Both aspects of life are faced by a person. A man must learn how to handle both situations with grace and go on with his life.

Sometimes a person learns that people will twist what a person has said and use it against him. A man may also have something that he has built torn down by fools. The only thing to do is to kneel down and use whatever tools he has and rebuild what has been broken

3rd Stanza

Risk and loss are a part of life. If a person risks everything he has and loses in some foolish game, the only thing to do is start over again. Never give up and never discuss the loss with anyone. It is only the individual’s business.

A person sometimes has to work beyond his physical capabilities. It is his responsibility to work until the goal is gained. There is something in man that propels him forward if he has the will to “hold on.”

4th Stanza

When a man talks in the midst of men, he should not give up his integrity. If he walks among nobility, he must never forget who he is. Pride and conceit are sins. A man will have friends and enemies, but he must never allow them to harm him. Other people should be an important part of the a man’s life, but never depend on any one man too much.

Time must never be wasted. Every minute of every day is important. Never be idle and squander time. If a person can live the life prescribed, everything that a person wants will come to him. In addition, a person will be hailed as a true and good man.